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Cannes Film Festival honors ‘Blue Is the Warmest Color’ with Palme d’Or

After a few security setbacks and a few rainstorms, the Cannes Film Festival has named French actress Berenice Bejo as their best actress and “Blue Is the Warmest Color” as winner of the Palme d’Or.

Bernice Bejo held a very emotional and very touching thank-you speech as she accepted the best actress award. Bejo became quite the sought-after leading woman after her amazing performance in the French silent movie “The Artist”. Bejo won for her part in the Asghar Farhadi’s film “The Past.”

Bejos stated, “It is special to get a best performance prize; it is for me and I cannot imagine getting something just for me,” she continued, “I would be nothing if there weren’t other actors, the director photography, and all the members of the crew.” The Argentinian actress spoke in French, addressing her role in the larger production of the film stating, “It is as if the film is being reduced just to me and I can’t envision that.

As for the night’s top honors, “Blue Is the Warmest Color” took home the Palme d’Or. The film is an amazingly crafted, dark and intense contemporary film, also French, circling on a young woman’s ordeals. The film received special praise from the head of the competition jury, Steven Spielberg, who took a moment to recognize the movie’s director, Abdellatif Kechiche and the brilliant performances of the two young actresses, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux. The award was accepted by Ms. Exarchopoulos, Mr. Kechiche, and Ms. Seydoux.

“Like Father, Like Son,” won the Jury Prize, Directed by Japanese Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, the film involved a family coming together after learning their child was not their own, having had been swapped at birth with another child. Best screenplay went to Jia Zhang-ke for “A Touch of Sin.” Mr. Jia said: “China is changing so fast. I think that film is the best way for me to look for freedom.”

Un Certain Regard was given to “L’Image Manquante,” from the work of Rithy Panh. Camera d’Or went to “Ilo Ilo,” from Anthony Chen, while The Palme (best short film) was given to “Safe,” from the South Korean director Moon Byoung-gon.

Best actor went to Bruce Dern, who won best actor for Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska,” a black-and-white comedy focusing on the life of an alcoholic. Will Forte also starred in the film. Mexican filmmaker Amat Escalante won Best Director for “Heli”. Mr. Escalante stated, “I wasn’t expecting this,” and most of the industry could probably say the same thing, Escalante was not the favorite in the race despite his amazing film.